Asynchronous transfer mode (ATM) services are typically permanent virtual connection (PVC) based, however, some carriers offer switch virtual connection (SVC) services. In the future it is expected that SVCs will become widely used to provide backup, additional bandwidth on demand, communication with smaller systems, and interoffice communications.
Users of ATM local area network (LAN)/wide area network (WAN) configurations, such as LAN emulation (LANE), multi-protocol over ATM (MPOA), or proprietary, interconnect geographically dispersed systems over private lines or public ATM service permanent virtual path (PVP) connections with SVC tunneling. Routing is accomplished using static routing protocols or dynamic routing protocols, such as Private Network-Node-Interface (PNNI). Addressing in an ATM network is difficult to manage because the size of each address is 40 characters. Consequently, once the internal ATM addresses of each LAN are established, it is relatively expensive to modify the addressing scheme. If switching to SVC service becomes desirable, then the service provider must assign its own unique ATM addresses so that voice and data may be routed over the public domain based on those addresses. The time required to change existing addresses when switching to SVC service is so significant as to be impractical and cost prohibitive.
It is therefore desirable to incorporate SVC based ATM LAN/WAN configurations in a private line or public network SVC environment without the need for readdressing of the ATM network when using a switching ATM service network.